And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
I’m an onion.
The pungent sharpness of my personality stings the eyes of those around me. The other day I used words to slap down my son’s friendly conversation. When I later apologized, he didn’t recall the event. That only demonstrates the numbness he had to adopt to cope with my reek.
When God created man He said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.” That likeness was nothing less than magnificent. Then sin corrupted our human splendor. The disease of rebellion infects every one of us.
Because the blood of Jesus cleanses me from all sin, I’m a saved onion. Every layer of my personality stands before God, redeemed. But the only thing more rancid than a human onion is one who accepts the gift of salvation, then continues to sit in his own foul odor. So Jesus offers to deonion me. It’s a painful process, but it’s the only way to replace my stench with his sweet aroma.
I must spend time alone with God’s word every day, and submit to the removal of the never-ending layers of my old self. My oniony heart has to be held under the Spirit’s influence until he tugs off the next sticky fault. Gradually, the clinging bonds of pride, self-centeredness, and fretfulness peel away. They yield to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It’s a lifelong process of replacing rotting personality traits with the fruit of God’s sweet character.
I return to the process day after day, because I really don’t like the smelly old me—apparently, no one else does either. How clean and right it feels to be transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, make me like you and don’t stop until it is done.